The sea was churning, and the wind blew hard in their faces. Beaten by the waves, the men had become weary. How their hearts must have fainted within them when they beheld a man coming toward them, walking on the water. But then, what words of comfort they heard: “Take heart, it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27).  

What happened next never ceases to amaze me. Peter, knowing it was the Lord, joined Him on the water. I’ve often marveled at Peter’s demonstration of faith, but even more, I’m amazed that he thought of the possibility of walking on the water. To be honest, I don’t think I would have.  

In the midst of the churning sea, Peter stepped out of the boat. With his eyes fixed on his Lord, he began doing the impossible. What that must have been like! What was Peter thinking in those few moments? What did he feel? I can’t wait to ask him one day. 

Yet, we know his walk was brief. Overcome by the sight of the roaring sea, he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. In his fear, he cried out. But our gracious Lord, mighty to save, took him by the hand and led him to the boat. 

How often do we feel the same? As though the wind is constantly against us, as if we’re being swallowed by the waves? Like Peter, it’s so easy to doubt, to take our eyes off of Jesus. Though I know our Lord is the One who tramples the waves of the seas, I struggle at times to keep my gaze upon his face. Sometimes I wonder which is easier: to trust the Lord’s ability to tame a raging sea- or to trust His ability to care for me. 

And still, I know what happens when I cast my eyes on the cares and distractions of the world. Like Peter, I flail about, sinking quickly into the deep. 

Helen Lemmel, writer of Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, likely knew this lesson as well. At the very least, I’m sure she was familiar with Peter’s story. She rightfully wrote: 

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.” 

What a simple but beautiful reminder. The things of this world, whether the shiny or the sorrowful, pale compared to all that we have in our Savior. 

Where are your eyes fixed? Upon the sorrows of this world? Towards the glittering distractions? Or, upon the face of Christ? May He alone be our vision. And when He is, our cares, worries, and concerns – along with any earthly glory – will suddenly grow strangely dim. Like Peter, we will not sink, but will be led to safety by the hand of our Lord.   

“To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.” (Psalm 123:1-2).

I couldn’t begin to count the number of times I’ve listened to Phil Wickham’s song, “Living Hope.”  It’s glorious and I love it!  But this morning as I was readying myself for the day, a particular phrase jumped out at me: “Then came the morning that sealed the promise, your buried body began to breathe.”  I just stood there in awe thinking of the significance of that phrase.  Christ’s resurrection sealed the promise that one day we too will be raised.  

When Jesus walked out of that grave he demonstrated once and for all that the Father had accepted his punishment on our behalf.  Because Christ was raised, we have confidence we are forgiven!  But his resurrection also demonstrated the reality of our own future resurrection- which is something I’ve been thinking a lot about.   

The topic of eschatology (the study of the last things) has been on my mind heavily since last summer.  As I’ve delved into this topic, I’ve come to see the glory of God’s kingdom in a new light- and I am filled with so much hope!  I cannot even begin to imagine how glorious the resurrection of the dead will be for those who are in Christ.  Over and over I’ve read the words of 1 Corinthians 15 and have continued to be amazed:

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ,”  (v.20-23).           

“The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.  As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.  Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven,” (v.47-49). 

Christ came as the true and better Adam; and by his life and death he has saved the hellbound man.*  In his flesh he lived a perfect life, and in his flesh he was put to death.  But unlike the first man, he defeated death, was raised to life, and once more walked the earth in physical flesh.  His resurrected body a forever demonstration of what awaits us at his Second Coming.    

No guilt in life, no fear in death.**  God’s Word assures us of this truth in the strongest way possible: Christ’s resurrection.  Our debt has been paid- and we have nothing to fear.  Rather, we have only a physical eternity with Christ to gain.  For this reason, I will one day be happily laid to rest with the word, Resurgam, inscribed on my tombstone.  Latin for “I shall rise again,” this I hold with the deepest possible assurance.  For Christ in power has been resurrected, as we will be when he comes.*  

*Words from “Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery” by Boswell, Papa, and Bleeker, 2013

**Words from “In Christ Alone” by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, 2001

“It will take all of eternity to fathom God’s love, and those who are saved will never plumb the depths of it.”  This statement from Faucett & Brown’s 1871 Bible Commentary is the crux of this post.  Try as we might, we will never be able to put our arms fully around the truth of the great gospel.  Though His infinite love is scarcely comprehensible to our finite minds, God’s Word communicates the depths of the Father’s love in words and pictures that are simple enough for His children to grasp.  This He does with three beautiful words: How much more.   

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus addressed both the Father’s ability- and desire- to care for His people.  Knowing their anxious hearts, Jesus assured his followers of God’s provision for all of their needs.  He told them they need not worry about their clothing, what to wear, or their stomachs, what to eat- for God clothes the lilies of the fields and feeds the birds of the air.  He then said, “But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!” (Luke 12:28).  A few verses later we learn even more of the Father’s love.  For Jesus said, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom,” (Luke 12:32).  

Speaking again of the Father’s desire to give to those who ask, seek and knock, Jesus used an analogy close to our hearts: that of a father and a son.  He asked, “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpian?” (Luke 11:12).  Surely, we and the original audience could not imagine doing such a wretched deed!  Driving home the point, Jesus then said, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).  

And not only does He give the Spirit, but His generosity culminates in the giving of the richest gift possible- His perfect, unblemished Son.  The picture of this sacrifice had been painted for over fifteen hundred years in the sacrificial system of the Law.  In Christ, it was made manifest in the flesh.  Only his substitutionary death could atone for our sins and satisfy the holy wrath of God.  Only through him is our complete redemption possible:  “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God” (Hebrews 9:13-14). 

That He would give His Son as the once and for all sacrifice to reconcile lost sinners to Himself is an immeasurable kind of love.  The kind of love that gives us the utmost confidence and assurance of His continual provision for our lives.  As Paul asked in Romans, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).  If He has given us the most treasured gift of all, how much more will he clothe, feed, and give us good gifts?  His love is extravagant and we cannot fathom it.   

Our God, who is rich in mercy, has done, is doing, and will continue to do far more abundantly for His children than could ever be imagined.  Though we worship and praise Him now, how much more will we fall at His feet in praise and adoration when we behold His unveiled glory.  Indeed, eternity will not be long enough for us to comprehend or celebrate the magnitude of His grace and love.  Yet, even now we pray, come, Lord Jesus, come!   

In my mind’s eye, I can still see him behind the pulpit, the aged yet slender man with thinning hair and untamed eyebrows.  He, the man with a gentle heart and a gentle voice, offering my most favorite benediction: 

Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before his glorious presence with exceeding joy- to the only wise God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion and power, both now and forevermore.  

I loved it when he ended the service that way.  Those words never failed to bring a smile to my lips and tears to my eyes.  

There’s certainly much to love about those closing verses from the book of Jude.  While I adore the opening line declaring Christ’s ability to keep us from falling, it’s the next part that always strikes me: Jesus presents us faultless before his presence.  Faultless.  When I think of my sin- of the many many ways in which I have fallen short in thought, word, and deed- I can hardly comprehend how such a presenting could be true.       

To be faultless is to be irreproachable; free from defect, error, blame, or guilt.  Yet, I know all too well that I am the very opposite- I know that I am guilty and full of fault.  Still, the truth of a blameless status is woven throughout Scripture, shouting so loudly that it can’t be ignored.  Those in Christ are called guiltless, holy and without blemish, and above reproach (1 Corinthians 1:8, Ephesians 5:27, Colossians 1:27).  And so we humbly ask: How can this be? 

The answer is found in the beautiful truth of the great exchange.  On the God forsaken cross at Calvary, Jesus took upon himself the grotesque sin that is yours and mine.  

This he lifted from our shoulders onto his, and bore the punishment that should have been our own.  But as exchanges go both ways, he did not leave us spiritually neutral.  No, from his shoulders onto ours was placed perfect righteousness; the righteousness earned from 33 years of sinless living.     

This was the only way.  By no other works could we stand before him- for only the works of One who was innocent and unstained could suffice (Hebrews 7:26).  And to imagine!  This so that we may be received by him with exceeding joy!  That he may look upon us, dressed in the righteousness belonging only to him, the King, and welcome us with supreme gladness.       

I can only imagine such a day!  The day when we will stand before him no longer a ruined sinner, but as a blameless saint; not as one marred by the unsightly stain of sin, but as one who is stainless and pure; not as a condemned child of wrath, but as a faultless child of God. 

Mark 5:1-20

Night and day he roamed, the epitome of darkness personified.  He was a possessed man, tormented and lost.  Naked and alone with the voices of demons in his mind, he perpetually cut himself with stones.  How his anguished cries must have echoed as he wandered the solitary tombs.  Almost fittingly, this dead man walking had made his home among the dead.  And though he could not be bound by the chains of man, he was spiritually bound by the Enemy.  He had no hope of rescue, for he could do nothing to free himself.  

But seeing Jesus from afar, this afflicted man ran from the tombs onto the shore.  Falling at Jesus’ feet, the spirits through him cried, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?”  Yet, they knew he had come for their destruction.  By the simple word of the Master the evil spirits came out, fleeing at once into a herd of pigs.  For who but the King of Kings can command even the demons?  

And of the man once possessed?  No longer resigned to roam the tombs, he was now a picture of restoration.  Sitting, clothed, and in his right mind, there was no hint of darkness, only that of light.  Though he longed to be with the One who had saved him, he was instructed to return home to his friends so that he might share with them the mercy of the Lord.  Home.  How long had it been?  And how he must have wept for joy knowing his home would never again be among the tombs.            

Amazingly, the miracle of this story is that it shows us our own.  For we too were once bound by the Enemy.  Unable to free ourselves, we were held captive to sin.  Born with stone hearts that were made dead in Adam, we lived spiritually among the tombs.  Dead in sin. Dead in hope.    

But while we were a long way off, our Father in Heaven saw our plight.  Planned from all eternity, the Son of Man came to give his life for ours, to take upon himself the punishment we deserved.  And finally, to defeat our ancient foe by walking out of a tomb.  For who but the King of Kings can conquer even death?  All of this, so that falling at his feet we may receive new hearts- hearts of flesh that are made alive in Christ.  

Just as the demoniac would have no future among the bones of dead men, so our home is no longer among the tombs.  Rather, our home is in the heavenly places with our Lord, seated among the saints.  As we revel in this truth, may it be our joy to proclaim how much the Lord has done for us, how he has showered us in mercy.  And by our testimony may everyone marvel. 

*This article was originally written for and published in the March 2022 issue of Faith On Every Corner Magazine. I’m so pleased to share it here as well.

I’ve often thought of Jesus as being many things to me- Savior, friend, high priest, King, and my resurrection and life- but rarely have I thought of him as my shepherd (though I knew he was).  But as I read Psalm 28 a few mornings ago, I stopped at verse 9: “Oh, save your people and bless their heritage! Be their shepherd and carry them forever” (ESV).  In my journaling Bible I wrote, Our forever Shepherd.

Over the last few days I’ve come back to this verse, reading and re-reading, thinking about what it means that Jesus is my shepherd…which led to more readings from both the Old and New Testaments.  What I found astounded me and has forever changed the way I see my Shepherd.    

I first turned to the most famous Psalm of all, Psalm 23.  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want,” (v.1).  This psalm beautifully depicts the faithfulness of our Lord as the shepherd who stays with his flock providing food, water, and protection for his sheep.  In this Psalm the Shepherd also provides restoration for souls, and leads those in his care in the path of righteousness.  What a beautiful picture of His tender care for the sheep who can do none of this for themselves.           

Of note, it was David who wrote Psalm 23, and it was David who was anointed King of Israel while tending his own flock.  He who was taken from the pasture was made prince over God’s people (2 Samuel 7:8).  This David, the shepherd boy with a heart after God’s own, became Israel’s most celebrated and successful King.  And it was this David with whom God established the Davidic Covenant, promising him that his throne shall be established forever (2 Samuel 7:16).  Remarkably, this establishment would find its fulfillment in none other than Jesus Christ.  

As I continued to read, I could see the promise unfolding…

More than 500 years after David’s life had ended, God referred to his people as sheep in Ezekiel 34.  Verses 1-9 depict God’s anger against the shepherds (kings) who have been failing at their job of caring for the sheep (Israel).  In verse 10 God declares, “I will rescue my sheep from their mouths.”  Veres 10-16 are again a beautiful picture of God as our Shepherd.  In this passage God states He will search for His sheep and seek them out; that He will rescue them from all the places they have been scattered; that He will feed them in a glorious place, making them lie down in rich pastures; and that He will bring back the strayed, bind up the injured, and strengthen the weak.  But not only would God the Father do this- He promised another.  In verses 23-24 He says, “I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them and be their shepherd.  And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them” (ESV).    

Who was this David the Lord spoke of?  Surely, the long deceased David would not rise again!  It is in the New Testament we see…

“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child” (Luke 2:4-5, ESV).  This child was the incarnate Son of God, the David who was to come.  As the angels proclaimed, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11, ESV).  

In John chapter 10 this Savior continues to reveal who he is to us.  In verse 11 he states, “I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (ESV).  Again in verse 14 he repeats, “I am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me” (ESV).  This word, know, is personal and communicates an intimate knowing and understanding.  Such a knowing refers to God’s gracious redemptive commitment to his sheep; a commitment which leads Jesus to say once more in verse 15, “I lay down my life for the sheep.”     

This commitment is demonstrated by Jesus first in the form of a parable.  In Luke 15:3-7 Jesus tells of a shepherd who leaves the 99 in search of the one sheep who is lost- language reminiscent of Ezekiel 34:11-12.  It is this lost sheep who the shepherd places on his shoulders as he carries him home.  

Ultimately, Jesus demonstrated his commitment to his sheep by fulfilling the words he spoke in John 10:15: he laid down his life for us.  Note that his life was not taken from him, but freely given on our behalf.  As our Lord said in John 10:18, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord.”  Amazingly, the Good Shepherd also became the slain Lamb of God, the one who bought our redemption with his blood. Here again we see the fulfillment of Ezekiel 34:16 in Christ.  Through his death and resurrection the stray have returned, the injured have been bound, and the weak are now strong (Luke 4:18).  For by our Shepherd’s wounds we have been healed (1 Peter 2:24).    

And yet, the one who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God is our Shepherd still.  As the Apostle Peter wrote, “And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (1 Peter 5:4, ESV).  It is our Shepherd whose return we eagerly await that we might reflect his glory for all eternity; the shepherd who carries us not only now, but forever.  

A few nights ago I had the privledge of speaking at our local Gideon’s meeting.  During those 15 minutes of allotted time I shared my testimony of God’s grace and mercy- of how I came to know Christ and how this writing endeavor resulted from an answered prayer for a right and renewed spirit.

This God has done, first and foremost, by His Word and His Spirit.  However, He has also chosen to accomplish this work through the written words of fellow brothers in Christ.  The writings of Calvin, Edwards, Spurgeon, Ryle, Tozer, and Sproul have been the catalysts for much spiritual growth in my life!  In turn, I have been better equipped to wade into the ministry of writing.   While my words pale in comparison to those just listed, I have been humbled by even the small measure of gifting God has entrusted to me.  

Over the last four years He has given me grace to write about His Word and what I pray have been works that point others to Him.  Thinking about the continuation of this unexpected ministry, I’ve reflected on its overall purpose.  I’ve many times asked, “What is my aim and intention with all that I write?”   

Try as I might, I have have found it exceedingly difficult to write in a breezy and charming manner- and harder still to write about light and easy topics.  While those styles and content are certainly helpful and undoubtedly needed, what I’ve come to realize is this: that is not how- and what- God has called me to write. 

And so, after much thought, prayer, and consideration, I’ve come to rest on the following mission statement from Colossians 1:18 and 4:12.  It reads: 

Remade Living Free is a ministry dedicated to the spiritual growth of followers of Christ. It is my prayer that those affected by this ministry will bear fruit, increase in the knowledge of God, and grow in maturity and assurance in the will of God, for the glory of God.  

As I shared the testimony God has given me- of the means by which He has saved and sanctified me, and how He has used me to share the Gospel message – I did so with joy and awe.  For He has called us to bear witness to the great things He has done. To His glory, the things which only He can do.  

*This piece was written for and published in the August issue of Faith on Every Corner Magazine (2022). I share it here as an encouragement to continuously seek the One who is our strength and portion.

---

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26).

It’s been a busy summer for the Byrum household.  Ball games, golf matches, and swim meets combined with work, house projects, and family functions have kept us hopping!  Far too often my daily list of desired tasks to accomplish seems to exceed the number of hours in a day.  Consequently, I often find myself focusing on the details of the day and fussing about “getting it all done.”  However, it’s comforting to know that I am not alone in this- a very good friend of Jesus once felt this way as well.  In the busy moments of life, I come back to the words our Lord spoke to her:  “You are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary” (Luke 10:41).  

It’s a familiar story, Martha busily preparing her home for Jesus and the many guests who were sure to accompany him.  I can almost see her in my mind scurrying about the kitchen and living space, trying to make sure all was just as it should be for entertaining.  Likely she was playing the gracious host, ensuring her guests had all they needed.  After all, she had Jesus in her home!  Given the situation, it makes sense that her heart became angry when she saw her sister, Mary, sitting at the Master’s feet.  As you or I may have done, she indignantly asked Jesus if he would tell Mary to come help her. 

To the benefit of everyone who has ever read this recorded story, Jesus did not oblige.  Instead, he calmly told Martha that she had been distracted and that only one thing was needed.  He then said, “Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).  

I often wondered what happened next.  Did Martha hang her head as she whispered a soft apology?  Or, in silence, did she quickly take a seat next to her sister? As verse 42 is the end of the story, we will have to wait to receive the details in heaven!  But if I were to guess, I’d bet that Martha never forgot those words.   

It’s easy to be a Martha, to be worried and distracted with tasks, serving, and wanting everything to be just right.  But Martha’s lesson is for us as well: Jesus is the good portion.  He is the one necessity in our everyday lives; the source of everything we need.  As Acts 17:28 and Colossians 3:11 remind us, in him we live and move and have our being and He alone is all in all.      

Whatever our day holds, be it child-rearing, meetings, or checking off countless items on our to-do list, nothing we can accomplish in a day compares to sitting at the feet of Jesus.  He is our highest treasure and our great inheritance.  He is the One who never fails us.  The psalmist reflected this truth when he wrote, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26).

As we continue to live in the chaos and business of our schedules; when we find ourselves fretting about how to “do it all,” let us remember that only one thing is necessary.  Like Mary, let us choose the good portion.      

I’ve heard O Come O Come Emmanuel more times than I could possibly count in my lifetime.  But at a concert a few nights ago I heard it for the first time: “O Come O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.”  For some reason it clicked: Israel was a captive in need of ransoming.  How were those words just now piercing my heart?  

For days now, I’ve been replaying that lyric in my mind and thinking through the history:  Long before Israel had been promised a Savior- before Israel even existed- the promise of a Savior was given to our first parents in the Garden of Eden:  “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).  

Scripture tells us that before the foundation of the world, God chose the way of redemption for mankind (1 Peter 1:20, Ephesians 1:4-14).  This way was through the life, death, and resurrection of His only begotten Son whom He would send into the world through the creation of a nation, Israel.  

Beginning with a covenant with Abraham, the plan began to unfold.  The seed of Abraham would grow into a great nation through whom the Messiah would come.     

As generations upon generations unfolded, more became known about the coming Messiah.  He would open the eyes of the blind and set the captives free.  And yet, the captives included Israel.  Though Israel was to be a light to the Gentiles and was the one through whom the Messiah would come, she had lost her way; for time and time again, she willingly whored after false gods and idols.  She, like the rest of the Gentile world, was in need of rescue from her captivity to sin. 

At the time of Jesus’ arrival, many in Israel believed the Messiah would come to rescue them from the tyranny of Roman occupation.  They recognized the need for a savior from an oppressive government but failed to see that their greatest captor was sin.  Truly, their deepest need was spiritual- not governmental, financial, or physical.  

Yet, Christ himself told them why he had come:  “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10) and “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28).  He had come to ransom sinners, to buy back those he loved.      

And so, obedient to the Father’s plan, Christ gave his life in exchange for a lost lot of rebels- sinners and idolaters of every kind.  Taking the punishment for sin upon himself, he purchased his bride’s freedom from captivity.  As the Apostle Peter wrote, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19).  

Amazingly, this redemption is also for us.  For like Israel, apart from a Savior we are captive to our sin, a people in need of ransoming.  

And ransom us he did!  The Light born through Israel came into this world so that the world might be saved through him, first for the Jew then for the Gentile (John 3:17, Romans 1:16).  Those who trust in Christ alone are counted as Abraham’s seed and are heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29).  Grafted into the family of God, they are adopted children, fully ransomed sons and daughters.  In Christ, this is what we are! 

Our great Savior has truly ransomed us- not with a canceled debt, but with a debt paid in full with his own blood.  He has purchased our freedom and crushed the head of the serpent.  This Christmas, as we again hear O Come O Come Emmanuel, may we rejoice in him, the King of kings, the only One who sets the captives, free.   

To the one persevering through the courageous process of healing: 

Dear Friend, 

I know this journey can be a weary one, that heaviness inevitably intermixes with progress; that common moments of second guessing the worthwhileness of it all will come.  To self-protect, the tendency will be to hit the breaks, to back away, to not look there.  Please know, you are brave.  And you are not alone.        

Sometimes healing looks like pauses and may feel as though growth has become stagnant.  How often we wish we could rush the process, to leap to the end when we feel better.  This is an encouragement to be patient, an invitation to be tender toward yourself.  Please remember, there is no “right pace” for healing.  Embrace where you are as you continue to move forward. 

And in those moments when peace seems illusive, when the hardness of it all feels unceasing- please know, you have permission to let it be hard.  Because sometimes, that’s all it can be.  Allow yourself to weep, to feel what feels unbearable, to rest in the difficult.  It will not be comfortable, but in time, it will be good.     

Please take heart in knowing that your tears are not without purpose and restoration is at hand.   Keep going. Keep breathing.  Keep looking ahead.  Above all, hold this close as a promised hope: Though sorrow lasts for a season, there will be joy again.  

Sincerely, 

The one cheering you on